No Cyber Security Bill for Zimbabweans: Chamisa

Nelson Chamisa, the MDC-T Vice President and Kuwadzana East Legislator

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Former Minister of Information Communication Technologies, Nelson Chamisa wretched the lack of appreciation on the discourse of cyber security within the corridors of the government.

This was revealed at a round table discussion held in the capital yesterday on Zimbabwe’s impending Cyber Security Bill.

“We don’t seem to have an appreciation of the cyber space discourse within the corridors of the government, government officials seem not to understand the importance of cyber security,” said Chamisa.

The Kuwadzana East legislator, condemned government officials who perceived the cyber bill as a tool to protect the government from citizens.

“Those in government think that a cyber security bill protects government from citizens when in fact it is the other way round, government does not comprehend the aspect of cyber security,” said Chamisa.

“We crafted the cyber policy long back and up to date no one has looked at the policy meaning the policy is not yet approved.

Chamisa who is also the Chairman of Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communication Technology, Postal and Courier service went on to say that the country is naked and uncovered ICT (Information and Communication Technology) wise.

“We don’t have sufficient legislation to protect consumers, this leaves the country subjected to serious problems.

“If the policy is not yet done then the bill is still far from being in place,” said Chamisa urging government to craft a bill as early as possible.

Nine years after government puported that it would unveil the Cyber Security Bill, nothing has been done as the policy itself has not been reviewed. This entails that the bill is still far from being in place.

“There is no bill to talk about right now as it is far from coming. We need to revisit our laws to make sure they are compatible with circumstances. From a policy point of view we need a work up call from the government, government is being manacled by the absence of the cyber bill,” said Chamisa.